Menges wins seat on Dighton Board of Selectmen

The Dighton election for one of three selectman seats on Saturday was officially decided by a 56-vote margin. Patrick W. Menges received 359 votes compared to 303 for challenger Richard D. Caron and 215 for Nancy J. Goulart.

Menges, who is also chairman of the town water district board of commissioners, was pleased, yet restrained, after the results were announced by board of registrars member Woody Woods.

Menges, who is also chairman of the town water district board of commissioners, was pleased, yet restrained, after the results were announced by board of registrars member Woody Woods.

“I think the closeness of the results bears out my caution, and I’m humbled by the honor the town has conferred upon me,” Menges, 57, said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues and fellow citizens.”

The election of Menges fills a vacancy left by Bud Whalon, who last October was no longer eligible to serve after he moved out of town.

Dighton bylaw requires an annual town election but only one three-year, selectman seat is up for grabs in any given year.

In the only other contested race, Evemarie Cabral bested Rosemarie B. Boute by a vote of 450 to 262 for public library trustee.

David Rosa won a landslide victory for parks and recreation commissioner in a write-in vote. Rosa, who could be seen campaigning as voters arrived at Dighton Elementary School, captured 280 votes compared to Sheryl Gardner, who took 20, and Rhonda Logan, who got 10.

Of 4,772 registered voters, a total of 882 ballots were cast, according to Town Clerk Sue Medeiros, who said that the counting process took half an hour. She said the turnout was typical of an annual election.

Before votes had been counted, Menges — whose late father, Wilbur, was Dighton’s first full-time police chief from 1951 to 1954 — gave a brief reply when asked about his immediate focus if elected.

“My priority will be to develop a good working relationship with my colleagues,” he said.

Caron, his closest challenger, said if elected he would work to increase commercial and industrial development in his town of just over 7,000.

Goulart, who continues to serve as clerk as the town’s finance committee, said if elected she would insist on moving forward with stalled plans to build a new police station/communications center.

The $2-plus-million project, she said, was approved by voters in 2012. She also noted that land has been donated by the former Dighton Power Plant, now owned by Energy Capital Partners.

Goulart, who was a selectman from 2007 to 2010 before losing a re-election bid, said if victorious she would have pushed for construction of a new Brook Street Bridge, which she says has been approved by the Department of Transportation.